Various mechanisms are known to effectuate the grouping/packaging of articles from a source of flowing articles in advance of loading operations. Since the advent of robotic article loading operations, the functionality of robotic apparatus has expanded from loading (i.e., transfer/loading) to “front end” article accumulation operations which are then followed by transfer and loading operations. While such multi-tasking is common of robotic systems, it is not exclusive to such apparatus. Alternate mechanized assemblies for pushing, stacking, pulling and/or rotating articles in furtherance of accumulation and/or article pattern building are known and commercially available.
Illustrative of article handling operations characterized by the accumulation, aggregation and/or grouping of articles such as bags, pouches, cartons, etc. and their subsequent loading (e.g., top case loading), are the teachings of Black et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 7,856,797) and Cote (U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0006651), as well as Applicant's work memorialized in their Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) appl. ser. no. PCT/US2016/050222, filed Sep. 2, 2016 and entitled “Improved Robotic Article Handling System & Operation,” incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Further noteworthy work of Applicant includes apparatus and methods for preliminary article placement to enhance/facilitate article accumulation, aggregation and/or grouping, namely, work directed to an article divider conveyor (i.e., colloquially, a product placement conveyor (PPC)) as per U.S. Pat. No. 9,586,706 entitled “Apparatus and Methods for Loading Product Into Cases,” the entirety of which is likewise incorporated herein by reference.
While improvements continue and technology advances, solutions have become and/or are continuing to be expensive. It remains advantageous to swiftly, carefully and reliably accumulate articles from an inflow of articles, and further still to accumulate articles in select patterns or configurations for transfer and placement elsewhere in furtherance of loading same. Moreover, it is believed advantageous and desirable to provide a minimally complex apparatus, assembly, system and/or process which accurately and repeatedly forms an accumulated article pattern of high density and/or minimal footprint, more particularly, a high density accumulated article pattern that is readily transferred/transferably with minimal pattern disruption so as to effectuate reliable loading operations.